Changeable hand stamp



June 12, 1962 T. l.. THOMPSON CHANGEABLE HAND STAMP Filed Nov. 2l, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nlwrw mu lwmu. M Nm, O

#m E W @m fxl/ w M ATTOQNEYS June 12, 1962 T. L.. THOMPSON 3,038,404

CHANGEABLE HAND STAMP l Filed Nov. 21, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fi g-5 NVENTUR.

TOMB/UE L.. THOMDSQN (.0 BY

United States Patent Otlice 3,638,404 Patented June l2, 1962 3,038,404 CHANGEABLE HAND STAMP Tommie L Thompson, 1502 Portland Ave., Chicago Heights, Ill.

Filed Nov. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 775,439 7 Claims. (Cl. 101-111) This invention relates to printing stamps, and more particularly to a printing stamp of the adjustable type wherein a flexible band is embossed With stamp markings and means are provided for adjusting the band to expose a desired stamp marking at the open bottom of the stamp.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved changeable hand stamp which is simple in construction, which is easy to adjust to provide for a desired impression, and which involves relatively few arts. p A further object of the invention is to provide an irnproved changeable hand stamp which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, which is relatively compact in size, and which is provided with means for accurately setting the stamping element thereof to provide a desired impression.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of an improved adjustable hand stamp constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top portion of the `handle member of the hand stamp of FIGURES l to 3 with the rotary knob element thereof detached to show the indicating scale.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of hand stamp constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged Vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 5 `FIGURE 7 is a transverse vertical cross sectional View taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

vReferring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 yto 4, 11 generally designates one form of adjustable hand stamp according to this invention. The hand stamp 11 comprises a yhousing 12 open at its bottom end and having parallel end Walls 13 and 14 and having opposing side walls 15 and 16. The housing 12 has a top wall 17, and centrally secured to said top wall is an upstanding handle member 18 formed with an axial bore 19 in which is rotatably disposed a shaft member 20. The lower end of shaft member 20 extends into the housing 12 and has a gear 21 rigidly secured thereto. Secured to the top end of the shaft 20 is a knob member 22 provided with a base ilange 23 which is formed with an aperture 24 overlying a scale ring 25 threadedly secured on the top end of the handle 18. A transparent annular skirt member 26 is secured around the knob 22 in overlying relationship to the flange 23, said skirt member 26 having a peripheral depending flange 27 which overlaps the edge of the scale ring 25.

Designated at 28 is a squared shaft which is provided at one end with a reduced cylindrical portion 29 rotatably engaged in a cylindrical recess 30 formed in end wall 13 in the upper portion of housing 12. Shaft 28 is formed at its opposite end portion with a cylindrical bearing element 32 rotatably engaging in a circular aperture 33 formed in the upper portion of end wall 14. A relatively large roller 34 is mounted on the squared portion of shaft 2S, said roller having a squared bore in which the squared portion of shaft 23 is received so that the roller is keyed to the shaft. Shaft 28 is provided at the end thereof adjacent wall 14 with a squared portion 35 on which is received a bevel gear 36, the bevel gear having a squared central aperture fitting on the squared portion 35, but allowing the gear 36 to be readily removed therefrom.

Designated at 37 is a cover member which is engageable over the gear 36 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, the cover member having a recess 38 in which the end portion of the shaft element 35 is rotatably receivable. The cover member 37 is formed at its top end with an inwardly projecting hooked lug 39 engageable through a horizontal slot 4t? provided in the top portion of end wall 14, the lug 39 having an upwardly directed projection 41 at its inner end which is engageable against the inside surface of the top end portion of end wall 14 to restrain outward movement of the cover member 37. The lower portion of cover member 37 is formed with the inwardly offset flange 43 in which is mounted a conventional keyoperated barrel lock 44, said barrel lock being receivable through an aperture 45 formed in the lower portion of the end wall 14. The lock 44 is provided with the keycontrolled detent element 46 which may be at times retracted by the use of a suitable key 47 in the lock, to release the cover 37 and to allow said cover to be detached from end wall 14, whereby access is provided to the bevel gear 36, so that said bevel gear may be removed, if so desired.

Iournaled in the top wall 17 is a vertical depending shaft element 48 provided with a first gear 49 which meshes with the gear 21 on the bottom end of shaft 20. Shaft 48 is provided with a bevel gear 50 rigid with the gear 49 and located immediately below said gear 49, the, bevel gear Sil meshing with the bevel gear 36, so that the shaft 28 may be rotated responsive to rotation of the knob 22.

lournaled between the lower end portions of end walls 13 and 14 is a bottom `roller 52 which is disposed parallel to the top roller 34 and which is located adjacent to the open bottom end of housing 12. Mounted on the rollers 34 and 52 is an endless flexible band 53 embossed with stamp markings 54 on its outer surface, said markings being thus adapted to be exposed at the open bottom end of housing 12, and being selectively exposed. in accordance with the rotated position of shaft 28.

As will be readily apparent, the position of shaft 28 is controlled by a kob 22, and thus the band 53 may be moved to expose a desired stamp marking 54 at the open bottom end of housing 12 by rotating the knob 22 to a specic setting. The scale ring 25 is inscribed with numerals in accordance with the required settings for the different stamp markings 54, and whereby a desired stamp marking 54 will be exposed when the knob 22 is rotated to a position wherein the window 24 overlies the numeral on scale ring 25 corresponding to the desired stamp marking.

The side walls of the housing 12 may be provided with tables listing the various stamp markings 54 and showing the respective scale numerals associated with said stamp markings, whereby a person desiring to use the stamp may consult the tables provided on said side walls and set the knob 22 in accordance with a. desired stamp marking.

In order to prevent unauthorized use of the adjustable hand stamp, the owner thereof may remove the bevel gear 36 in the manner above described, namely, by detaching the cover member 37 and slipping the bevel gear off the shaft end portion 35, then replacing the cover member 37. Since the use of key 47 is required for this operation, it will be readily apparent that only the owner or an authorized person may use the hand stamp in a manner penmitting him to set the stamp to provide different markings.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, the adjustable hand stamp is designated generally at lll' and comprises a housing l2 open at its bottom end and having the end walls 13 and 14', the side Walls 115 and 16 and the top wall 17. A handle member 1S is rigidly secured centrally to the top Wall 17. lournaled in the upper portion of housing l2 is a shaft 2S on which is keyed a relatively large roller 54. lournaled in the lower portion of the housing i2', parallel to shaft 28 and adjacent the open bottom end of the housing, is a smaller second roller 52. A iiexible band 53 carrying spaced stamp markings 54 is mounted on the parallel rollers 34 and 52 in the manner clearly illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7.

Secured on one end of shaft 2S', adjacent the wall 13 is a gear 36 which meshes with a larger gear 2l secured on a shaft 20 journaled in the top portion of end wall 13'. A dial 25 is fastened to the outer end of shaft 2il, said dial 25' being provided with the evenly spaced peripheral numerical markings illustrated in FGURE 5. A transversely extending knob element 22' is rigidly secured to the central portion of the dial 25 for manually rotating said dial.

Disposed between the dial 25 and the inwardly adjacent surface of `the end wall 13 is a radially corrugated spring Washer 4%' which is lockingly engageable with a detent ball 41' seated in a recess provided therefor in the upper portion of end wall 13' and being cooperable with the radially corrugated spring plate 40' t0 yieldably secure the dial 25 in respective predetermined positions of rotation, corresponding to the positions wherein the numerals on the outer peripheral portion of the dial plate 25 are located adjacent to an index marker 44 provided on the intermediate portion of the end edge of top wall 17. The detent spring disc 40 is `secured to the dial plate in any suitable manner so that the detent plate rotates with the dial plate and so that the dial plate is yieldably held in any one of the positions corresponding to the numerals on its outer peripheral portion. These positions correspond to the exposures of the respective stamp markings 54 of band 53 at the open bottom end of housing 12', so that said stamp markings are selectively available for providing impressions.

In using the hand stamp, the dial plate 25 is rotated by means of the ltransversely extending gripping element 22' so that the shaft 28 is adjusted to a position corresponding to the exposure of the desired stamp marking 54 at the open bottom end of housing 12', the required numerical value necessary being determined from a table 60 provided on the outer surface of one of the side walls or 16', as shown in FIGURE 5.

To insure positive movement of the liexible band 53, the lroller 34 is provided with spaced lugs 6d which grippingly interengage with the inside surface of 4the band '53, providing positive movement of the band responsive to rotation of roller 34.

In the previously described form of the invention the roller 34 may be made polygonal in shape, for example, may be made hexagonal, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 3, so as to grippingly interengage with the flexible endless -band 53.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved adjustable hand stamp have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications Within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations -be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A hand stamp comprising a housing open at its botftom end and having parallel end Walls, opposing side walls, and a top wall, a first roller journaled between said end walls in the upper portion of said housing, a second roller journaled between said end Walls in the lower portion of said housing adjacent said open end thereof and parallel to said first roller, an endless band formed of flexible material trained around said rollers, a plurality of stamp markings embossed on said band at spaced intervals there-around, actuating -means on said housing connected in driving relation to one of said rollers, said actuating means including an indicia bearing element provided with a plurality of indicia corresponding in quantity with the plurality of stamp markings on said band, and a tabular combination of markings and indicia corresponding to the first-named markings and indicia on said housing.

2. A hand stamp comprising a housing having an opening formed in its Ibottom end and having oppositely disposed end walls and side walls, a first roller rotatably mounted in said housing on a shaft extending between said end Walls in a portion thereof remote from said opening, a second roller rotatably mounted in said housing parallel to the first roller and adjacent said opening, an endless flexible tband trained around said rollers, actuating means on said housing, a series of meshing gears comprising a driving connection between said actuating means and said first roller, a plurality of stamp markings at spaced intervals on said band, an indica bearing element on said housing adjacent said actuating means, a tabular combination of markings and indicia corresponding to said markings on said band and to said indica on said element, said tabular combination being located on said housing so as to be visible during use of said actuating means.

3. A hand stamp as defined in claim 7 wherein said housing is provided with an outwardly projecting handle, and said actuating means is secured to said handle.

4. A hand stamp as defined in claim 7 and access means on one of said ends of said housing to permit removal of one of the gears in said series, said access means comprising a cover member overlying an aperture formed in one of the Walls of the housing, a lug on one side of said cover member to engage the inner surface of said last named one of said end walls, a flange on the opposing side of the cover member, and lock means secured to said wall and selectivity engageable With the fiange.

5. A hand stamp as defined in claim 7 wherein said series includes a gear secured on the shaft on which said first roller is mounted, said actuating means being mounted on the proximal end wall of said housing, and a second gear connected for rotation with said actuating means and in mesh with said first named gear.

6. In a changeable hand stamp which includes a housing, marking means operably disposed in the housing carrying a plurality of markings and arranged such that the markings are selectively locatable in printing position, and a rotatable actuating knob located exteriorly of the housing and including means connecting the same to said marking means; an indicia bearing element associated with the actuating knob and carrying a plurality of indicia, the indicia bearing element being located such that the knob is selectively associated With ane one of the indicia thereon by rotation thereof, and a tabular combination of the markings and indicia on said housing, rotation of the knob to a selected indicia being eifective to move the marking means so that the marking corresponding to the selected indicia is placed in printing position.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein the indicia bearing element is located such that the indicia thereon are located in a circular arrangement about said knob.

(References on following page) References Citei in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Norrington July 24, 1888 Murray Oct. 24, 1898 Hill Jan. 13, 1903 Comstock Nov. 10, 1903 Hill July 18, 1905 Gregory Oct. 14, 1913 Rumpf et al. Oct. 19, 1920 

